1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a halogenated alkane. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for preparing a halogenated alkane by reducing a halogenated alkane in an alcohol with light irradiation.
The halogenated alkanes are useful as foaming agents, propellants for aerosols, refrigerants, solvents and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known processes for reducing halogenated hydrocarbons include a process for catalytically reducing the halogenated hydrocarbons in the presence of a palladium catalyst (cf. Japanese Pat. Publication No. 38131/1981), a process for reducing a raw material with zinc and an alcohol (cf. Japanese Pat. Kokai Publication No. 222038/1983), a process for reducing a raw material with potassium acetate and an alcohol (cf. Czechoslovakian Pat. No. 144,073) and a process for reducing a raw material with a sodium amalgam (cf. European patent application No. 164954).
These processes have various drawbacks such as difficult control of the reactions, high costs and the like. Therefore, they are not technically preferable processes.
The reduction of the halogenated hydrocarbon with light is disclosed in Czechoslovakian Pat. No. 136,735, but this process has some drawbacks such as poor reproducibility, a low reaction rate, intermediate termination of the reaction which results in poor conversion.